Accommodation

Accommodation in Africa

Some of the world's most luxurious and stylish accommodation is found on the African continent. With such diversity available, we take great care to provide a wide range of accommodation, to suit every style, taste and budget. From the most luxurious lodges, exclusive resorts, tented camps, eco retreats to glamping experiences in tree houses, we are sure that there will be an accommodation here that will satisfy every taste. If you do not feel this is the case, then we will tailor-made one especially for you.

We are tailor-made safari specialists, which means we create an itinerary around your individual tastes, preferences and interests. We love the advantages of top quality family resorts and the privacy of serviced private villas, the warm welcome of guest houses and the intimacy of exclusive safari lodges. We know Africa’s hotels, safari camps and villas because we have personally tried and tested them. We don’t own the accommodation we recommend, which means you can count on independent, expert advice when you book a safari through us.

Lodge

Accommodation type

A safari lodge is a type of tourist accommodation in southern and eastern Africa. Lodges are mainly used by tourists on wildlife safaris, and are typically located in or near national parks or game reserves. Lodges are usually in isolated rural areas, and offer meals and activities such as game drives, in addition to accommodation. The standard of accommodation varies considerably, from rustic bush camps, sometimes tented, to luxury lodges with the character of upmarket hotels. The dwellings in lodges are often in separate buildings with a bedroom, a bathroom, a terrace and sometimes a small kitchen. The set is closed to ensure the safety of tourists.

Bush lodges tend to be larger more structured accommodation, where designs often take on the look and feel of their surroundings, with local artisans adding their talents to wall paintings, wood carvings and the general decor. Lodges provide accommodation where guest facilities often include spacious lounges, verandahs, bars, TV rooms. dining rooms, swimming pools, boutiques and evening etertainment. Rooms are similar to modern hotels abd include all the creature comforts one would expect in the bush.

Not all lodges are created equal. There are different classes of lodges. Depending on who is doing the classification, you will often hear of budget lodges, mid-range lodges, high-end lodges, and luxury lodges or lodge classification by stars.

Tented camp

Accommodation type

Tented camps are designed to be small and intimate and can be found in a wide variety of styles, from simple to luxurious. All but the most basic camps are en-suite, exquisitely furnished and built consciously into or from the local surroundings. Tents are extremely spacious and totally protected from outside elements. Public areas are usually under canvas or thatch and meals taken al fresco around the campfire. This is always a favourite with guests, especially at night when eating under the stars. Some camps have a small pludge pool as well.

There generaly are two types of tented camps: permanent and mobile. Permanent tented camps are in many ways similar to the lodges, more so because of their permanence and the facilities available to you. They however tend to be smaller and more exclusive than the lodges. The more luxurious mobile camps consist of huge walk-in accommodation tents with king sized beds and ensuite washroom facilities. This setup requires a support crew for transporting the equipment, preparing the hot bathing water, and also preparing the meals. Obviously, such an arrangement is suitable for the luxury traveller who is also seeking the rustic and more authentic safari experience of the early explorers.

Resort

Accommodation type

The term "resort" is used for a self-contained commercial establishment which attempts to provide for most of a vacationer's wants while remaining on the premises, such as food, drink, lodging, sports, entertainment, and shopping. The most widely used and popular is all-inclusive resorts. It charges a fixed price that includes most or all items. At a minimum, most inclusive resorts include lodging, unlimited food, drink, sports activities, and entertainment for the fixed price. An all-inclusive resort includes a minimum of three meals daily, soft drinks, most alcoholic drinks, gratuities and possibly other services in the price. Many also offer sports and other activities included in the price as well. Most of all-inclusive resorts are geared toward families, with facilities like craft centers, game rooms and water parks to keep children of all ages entertained. All inclusive resorts are also very popular locations for destination weddings.